Thursday, August 12, 2010

The Music of Silence

At the writer's conference, they say "Always be professional," which I agree with, but then someone said, "Thank editors that reject you for taking the time to look at your story." Then I read an agent blog saying, "There's no need to thank me for rejecting your query. It's my job."

So whom do you believe?

I've also heard it said at the conference to tweet on Twitter twice a day and get involved in social media, like Facebook. Okay, but what if I don't have anything to say? You see, there's no taming the tonuge, so if one says something just to say something, one will end up saying something foolish and offending people. Sometimes key people. Sometimes editors and agents.

A famous singer once said, "What if my fan meets me and thinks I'm a jerk?" I'm thinking the same thing. What if you add me on Facebook, Twitter, or wherever, and you don't like me because you think I'm a jerk? What if I add you and think that you're a jerk? I mean, am I wrong here? Is this not a legitimate concern?

Not to mention the people on Facebook just waiting for you to say something stupid so they can take your job away.

The music of silence. It's a motherfuckin symphony.

Therefore, right or no, I'm not posting everyday just because I'm supposed to. If I don't have something clever to say or if I don't have something to promote, I'm not talking. I've had it with foot-in-the-mouth syndrome!

2 comments:

I understand where you are coming from here. I was hesitant to connect my name with my Tarot work because of my writing. What if someone one won't read my work because of their disapproval of the Tarot? I finally decided that it would be up to the reader. And since some of my stories revolve around paranormal, chances are my readers would be open minded enough to read my work.

I don't think you'll have a problem. Most people read fiction to escape the mundane. Stephen King said he was going to select the order of the stories in Just After Sunset by tarot (his best short story book since Nightmares and Dreamscapes, BTW).

What I worry about is telling my readers I'm into death metal. Since most people don't like DM, how are they going to relate to me? I didn't want to tell--I do my DM studio project anonymously--but the Muse Conference said to include something that's interesting that has nothing to do with writing, so I'm stuck with admitting it.